Raphael, the Duke of Dyemore, has to be at the gathering of the Lords of Chaos in order to achieve his ultimate goal: the group’s destruction. Unfortunately, she shoots the one masked man who was actually there to help her and not kill her. Well, when Lady Iris finds herself in that exact circumstance, she grabs a gun and shoots the first dude she could and gets the heck outta Dodge. The men are clearly participating in some ritual and, even more frightening, your death is a key part of the proceedings. You’ve been kidnapped and dragged there, and you have absolutely no idea how to get out of there. Imagine waking up in a room full of naked men wearing animal masks.

Simultaneously a standalone novel and a fitting end to a series, Duke of Desire is worth any historical romance fan’s time. Iris is not exactly a damsel in distress and takes her escape into her own hands, but its ramifications lead to a quick marriage of safety even more than convenience which evolves into a deeply grounded love story where Iris and Raphael become the best versions of themselves. He manages to work his way into one of their gatherings, where Lady Iris Jordan is an unwilling participant.

In this final installment in the beloved Maiden Lane series, Raphael, the Duke of Dyemore is desperate to infiltrate the Lords of Chaos and orchestrate their demise.

Duke of Desire by Elizabeth Hoyt